The letter that changed everything: Part 1
by Iamironman923
Summary: Tony loves Steve, but he doesn't know how or when to say it. But when Steve is called away for a mission on his own and Tony finds a letter on his work bench in the lab, he knows exactly what to do. No smut, maybe later on as it progresses. Thanks for reading my first fan fic.


Tony ran his hand across his face and sighed. He had been awake for far too long. He ran his hands over his chest and watched the blue glow darken ever so slightly. He frowned and turned onto his left side to peer into the darkness. It had been four days since Steve had been called to a mission and every night Tony has cursed Fury for stealing Steve away from him before Tony could tell him how he really felt. But more so he cursed himself for how long he put off telling Steve.

He couldn't sleep, and he knew it was useless just lying there so threw his legs from his bed and searched blindly for his slippers. He walked from his room, passing Steve`s he ran his fingers slowly over the solid doorknob and sighed again, questioning again why didn't he tell him before Fury sent him off to what might be his death. Tony hated being alone in Stark Tower, even with Pepper and some of the other Avengers living a floor or two above him he still felt as if he was the only person left on the face of the earth.

Tony decided that his time would best be used in the lab. So he shuffled down the glass steps and called out to Jarvis. "Jarvis, open lab door," he called out into the dim light. Through the thick glass wall he could see all his trinkets and tools. "Yes, Sir," the automated males voice spoke as a small beep came from the panel on the door in front of him. As he walked into the dim light Jarvis slowly raised the brightness as to not hurt Tony`s eyes as they adjusted. Tony peered around the enormous room and noticed something very peculiar. On his cleanest work bench sat a starch white envelope with the name 'Tony" written in a neat handwriting. Tony walked over to the bench and peered at it curiously. Tony slowly tore open the neatly sealed envelope and unfolded the crisp paper inside to find a handwritten note in the same neat handwriting which read…

_ Tony, _

_I'm not sure when I will be coming home, or if I will be coming home. Fury said this mission will either be life or death and who knows what can happen out there. Tony, I just want you to know that I love you and that you mean more than anything in the world to me. Before now I wasn't able to find_

_The worlds to tell you just how I felt but now, with everything going on I just felt like I needed to say this. I love you Tony Stark. I love how amazingly smart you are I love your snarky attitude and most of all I love the way you look at me. Don't think I Haven`t noticed Stark. (I may be blond but I`m not a dumb blond.) But Tony, if you don't feel the same, I want you to know that I don't want anything between us to change. I love you, but that doesn't mean you have to change the way you think of me. _

_ With all my heart and hopes to see you soon, Steven Rodgers._

When Tony reached the last words on the page his eyes welled up with tears. All the feelings that he had been harboring had been locked away when in all actuality all he really needed to do was open himself up a little and he would have found all this out in person, with Steve here by his side.

For the rest of the night Tony stared at those words scrawled across the page ever so gently. He memorized every curve of the pen, every dot above and I or cross of a T. He sat in the lab until his eyes gave way and he fell asleep, head lying haphazardly on a metal workbench with tools scattered around him. He dreamt of flinging himself into Steve`s arms, of kissing his lips and holding his large hand in his own, but most of all he dreamt of Steve coming home. He just wanted him safe, in Stark Towers on their floor together. Where he could explain everything that he had been holding back for so long.

When Tony awoke the next morning he was started to find himself in the lab. His neck was sore and he still felt tired but as soon as he found the letter from Steve under his hand he smiled. It was going to be a long day but all Tony could do was hope that Steve would be home soon. As Tony walked up the stairs to the living room area he smiled. Should he be nonchalant about it? Should he run into the Captain`s arms like a school girl? Or should he just write him a letter like Steve did for him? Tony didn't know what he would do but what he did know was that Tony loved Steve and after last night, he was SURE he would tell him as soon as he got home.

A few days passed after Tony had read Steve`s letter and Tony was beginning to get anxious. Tony knew that if he called Fury that Fury would know something was up, so he refrained from that but after Steve being gone for nearly 2 weeks Tony finally couldn't help himself.

"Jarvis," he called out in a shaky voice. "Dial Nick Fury and make it urgent."

"Anything for you, Sir," Jarvis said before the phone began to ring. Within seconds Nick Fury`s voice was heard on the other line.

"Hello? What is it Stark?"

"Fury, how are things going?"

"Stark I don't have time for this," Fury was curt and seemed very irritated, and this made Tony`s heart practically leap into this throat.

"Um…uh," he stuttered. "Agent Fury, when will Agent Rodgers be home from his mission? He`s been gone for nearly two weeks now? Isn't that a little excessive?" Tony mentally slapped himself. He sounded like a mother hen trying to keep track of her chicks, so he cleared his throat and continues, trying to cover up the worry in his voice. "The tower is becoming a mess and id kind of like to know when to expect him back so I can hire a cleaning crew before I have to hear all his nagging." Good one Tony, he thought to himself.

"Look, Stark. Agent Rodgers is in a tight spot, we are doing our best to get him into safety. I will let you know when we get any other news. Now, let me get back to work." With a click of a button Fury was gone and Tony slumped into the couch. _In a tight spot?_ What the hell is that supposed to mean. Tony could feel his heart race and his knees tremble. What was he going to do? What if Steve never came home? What if Tony wasn't ever able to tell him that he loved him? What if Steve died before Tony was able to really show him how he felt…

Tony looked down at his hands, his elbows resting on his knees, and that's when he broke down. He didn't know what to do, or who to talk to. He felt like throwing himself onto his bed and sobbing, or throwing up. But all he did was sit there, head cradled in his hands, staring at the floor as tears poured from his eyes. What was he going to do?


End file.
